College of Liberal Artsand Social Sciences
The University of Houston
402 Agnes Arnold HallHouston, TX 77204-3000
Phone: 713-743-4002
Fax: 713-743-2990

News & Events

New Arts Leadership Master’s Program accepting applications

CLASS launches graduate degree program for artists and creative professionals

A study released this past summer by the Houston Arts Alliance and the University of Houston found that more people in the City of Houston work in “creative-sector industries” than the number of people working in the Texas Medical Center.

The report described the city’s creative economy as “a diverse and broad-based collection of industries—non-profit and for-profit— that employ more than 146,000 individuals in primary and support roles across the ten-county region” with “an economic impact of $9.1 billion” in 2011.

Some of those industries are creative by their nature - graphic design and architecture firms, museums and theaters, and recording studios. Other “non-creative” businesses employ people in creative occupations, such as photographers, artists, writers, and clothing designers.

To help fuel the growing local creative sector and meet students’ educational needs, CLASS is launching the Arts Leadership Master’s Program in Fall 2013.

This 36-hour Master of Arts (MA) degree program will take an entrepreneurial approach to preparing creative professionals to launch, develop, administer and maintain arts organizations of all sizes.

Coursework will cover strategic planning, fundraising, grant writing, financial management, community relations, advocacy and marketing in the arts. All students will do internships at arts organizations in the greater Houston area.

The program will provide additional education and expanded career options for students who earned bachelor’s degrees in performing and visual arts but decide not to pursue careers as professional artists. The master’s degree also will benefit working professionals without arts degrees who want to make a career change or rise higher in arts organizations.

“In the past, we in Houston have very often imported our arts leaders from elsewhere,” said Dr. Rex Koontz, director of the School of Art. “This program will make UH a home for training and nurturing the arts leaders that growing cosmopolitan cities, such as Houston, will need.”

Admissions

The MA program in Arts Leadership follows the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences requirements for admission:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with an overall 3.0 (B) average on the last 60 hours of course credit.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores

Letters of recommendation

A statement of interest in and preparation for the program

The deadline for applications is June 28. All application materials must be received by that date.